by Dawn Kirby
That earned a long pause. I could only imagine what May must have been saying, much less thinking. The woman was going to think I was crazy before she ever met me, if she ever met me.
“The other one was a woman, but her name never came up.” May’s voice, it seemed, had a calming effect on Mom. Her shrill, scared tone was gone. “Do you mind? That would be great. I’ll be at the store if they think of anything. Be sure and tell him as soon as you possibly can,” she said. “Thank you so much, May.”
After she hung up, the radio was turned down to a whisper. A few seconds later her car pulled out of the driveway. Obviously, she planned on treating today just like any other day. Mom would go to work, run her rear off, and come back home.
My only consolation? David would be by later. Then all the mystery and secrecy would disappear. There was still a possibility that this whole situation was being blown out of proportion. I doubted it, but it sounded good.
Once I’d convinced myself that everything would turn out fine, I went upstairs and got dressed. Since I was stuck here I might as well do something useful. Donning a pair of sweats, an old t-shirt, and a dark pair of shades, I headed for the back yard. Outside was the perfect place to start.
There were several rose bushes that needed to be planted and grass that needed to be cut. The hedges in the backyard were in desperate need of attention as well. With a plan to get as much done as possible as slowly as possible, I pulled the lawnmower and the yard tools out of shed and got started. Fortunately, the outside chores kept my mind fairly occupied till lunch.
The next couple of hours were spent cleaning up the house. Every room in the house sparkled when I finished. Even the nick-knacks and picture frames got special care. While I waited for Mom’s sheets to dry, I ran upstairs to take a shower. It’s been a long time since I’d been this nasty. Even my teeth were gritty. The hot shower, and unusually long session with a toothbrush, felt fantastic.
Clean once again, I pulled my hair into a braid and dressed. It wasn’t hot enough for shorts yet so I slid into my favorite pair of jeans and a comfortable V-neck t-shirt. After I pulled my socks on, I took my sweaty work clothes and towels back downstairs to wash.
Boredom quickly set in shortly thereafter. I’d already done everything I could think of to do around the house. Both inside and out. Mom wanted me to stay away from the store so I couldn’t go there. Drew was busy studying for her test so I couldn’t disturb her. Reading was a no go. Trying to put the puzzle pieces of my life together kept me from concentrating on anything but my own thoughts.
I finally decided to take Mom’s advice and drive to the mall in Fort Worth. After a morning of mowing and digging in the grass my formerly white Reeboks needed to be replaced anyway. I hurried upstairs to get my purse and cell phone. As soon as my sunglasses were on and my phone was tucked in my pocket, I went to the backyard and put on my grass stained shoes.
Chapter Four
I pulled into the parking lot of the mall feeling relaxed and refreshed. If I did it right, I could waste enough time then see if Drew felt like meeting up for dinner. Normally, her exams take a couple of hours to finish. Then there’s the drive back to Weatherford. The only problem with my plan was I’m not a shopper. That was Drew’s department. I really didn’t need much and dinner was hours away.
As I walked toward the mall door I saw a familiar face smiling at me. I half-hardheartedly smiled back as a dark cloud settled over me. The storm looming ominously above my head was in the form of the skinny redhead from the night before.
“Well, fancy seeing you here, sugar,” she said clicking her tongue.
“Imagine that,” I answered sarcastically. I looked around for JD, but didn’t see him. “Where’s your boyfriend?”
Her eyes flashed brightly. “Oh…he’s prowling around out there somewhere. I’m sure he’ll turn up sooner or later.”
“Well, have fun finding him,” I said, leaving her standing at the door.
I hurried on to Foot Locker determined not to look back. The further I got from her, the better my day would be. There was something about her I didn’t like. Her sugary sweet attitude felt like an act. I should have taken the time to try to smell her, but I really didn’t want to. My brain had already got the message.
In no time at all I fell into a routine. In fact, I ended up with a whole lot more than I’d originally planned. Every store I went into was having a sale. Drew would have been in heaven.
Every now and again I’d spot the redhead weaving through the crowd of people. If she saw me she never let on. JD walked by while I was talking to a few friends I’d gone to school with, but he did little more than curl his upper lip up at me. I covered my nervousness well by turning my attention over to a fuzzy ultrasound picture a friend was proudly showing off to anyone that would look.
After parting ways with my friends and suffering through an awkward encounter with an ex and his new fiancé, I stopped by Hagan Das for a quick recharge. I thought time would tick by a little quicker if I stayed busy, but I was wrong. If anything it felt like the clock had stopped. Thinking I had a surefire way to get it going again, I decided to spend the rest of the afternoon browsing through my favorite store.
Victoria’s Secret has always been my Achilles’ heel. I knew from experience I could lose hours in there. There’s always so much to look at and so many more things I want. If I had my way I’d buy one of everything, in every shade available.
By the time I got back to my car it was six-fifteen. I tossed my bags in the trunk and called Drew.
“Hey you! What’s up?” she said cheerfully. “You guys aren’t swamped are you?”
“I wouldn’t know. Mom gave me the weekend off.”
“How dare she do something nice for you,” she laughed.
“You’re not funny. I just spent the entire afternoon at the mall.”
“Oh, you poor dear,” she said dramatically. “Wait, you didn’t get a swimsuit did you?”
“Heck no, I’m waiting for you.” Swimsuit shopping was the one yearly ritual we had. Neither one of us ever picked one out without getting the others brutally honest opinion.
“Good, I’ve been looking forward to it for weeks. Whatcha got planned now?”
“Nothing. You want to meet up for dinner?” I asked her. “I’m starving.”
“Me too. How about Chili’s?”
“Sound’s great. Meet you there in a bit,” I said before she hung up.
I shoved my phone in my pocket and shut the trunk. As I slid my purse off my shoulder and opened the car door the back of my neck began to tingle. Goosebumps broke out all over my exposed arms. The air had the same eerie feeling it had last night at the store. Someone was watching me. Again.
No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t see or hear anything strange. There wasn’t even an off smell in the air. I did feel a little better knowing the birds weren’t scared. They were still chirping away, oblivious. I took solace in that and let the fear building inside me go; the invisible guest wasn’t that big of a threat.
Drew had already been seated by the time I got to the restaurant. She’d ordered our Cokes and was already well into a hot skillet of Queso when the hostess showed me to our booth. After the waiter brought a fresh bowl of chips he gave us a little time to decide what we wanted to eat. Between the two of us the chips didn’t last long.
“How was your exam?” Knowing her, it went really well.
“You know what? If I didn’t want this so bad, I’d quit.”
“That bad, huh?” I looked at her sympathetically. “Do you at least think you passed?”
She grinned coyly. “I’m a hundred percent sure I aced the darn thing.”
“Good for you. Have you made your big decision yet?” We hadn’t talked about it in while, so I thought I’d ask.
“I’m hovering around pediatrics or obstetrics, but I can’t decide.”
“You’ll be good at either one,” I said honestly. “Whichever one you settle on, be
sure and save me a spot.”
There was a mischievous smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye. I knew what was coming before she said it. “Sweetie, you have to snag a man to need either one,” she teased.
I nodded my head and smiled right back at her. “On second thought, don’t worry about me.”
We were both fully aware of my track record. The longest relationship I’ve ever been in lasted a total of two months. There have been a few dates here and there, but nothing ever came out of them. After my last well-intentioned set up, Mom suggested letting my social life go on hiatus for a while and focus on other things. I give her full credit for my finishing school two semesters early.
“Don’t worry, he’s out there,” Mom had said. “You just haven’t found him yet.”
The waiter came back and took our order. We both asked for a burger. After we had fresh drinks and the empty skillet of Queso was removed we were left alone for a while.
“Have you talked to Mark?” I asked cautiously. After the events of yesterday, I wasn’t sure if it was a safe place to go.
“Nope. If he wants to talk, he can call me,” she answered, through a thin line of lips.
“In his defense,” I said, having a temporary lapse of sanity, “it is his job.”
“I know it’s his damn job,” she said angrily. “But if he’d grow a pair that man wouldn’t have so much control over him. Two nights a month is no big deal. Twenty-four hours a day for the past few days is a bit much. I don’t blame either one of Mr. Logan’s wives for leaving him.” She sighed and looked towards the window. “I’m pretty sure it’s over between us anyway. I can’t see myself dealing with this for much longer. “
“I’m really sorry, Drew.”
“It’s fine. Maybe yours and mine are hiding in the same place. Let’s stop looking and let them come to us.”
“Mom keeps telling me I’ll find my soul mate when the time is right,” I told her.
“Hopefully, he doesn’t disappear once he shows up. I really don’t know how Mia got through it. Especially after she found out she was pregnant.”
“I don’t either,” I agreed. “But I’m pretty sure she had plenty of support.” In fact, I knew she had.
“What do you mean? All your relatives are gone and I’ve never seen her with anyone.”
“I don’t mean it that way,” I said shortly. Our waiter was back to collect the empty dishes.
“Okay, he’s gone. Now spit it out!” She leaned over towards my side of the table anxiously. Her eyes sparkled with interest. Her citric scent burst into the air around us.
“Mr. James – David – is more than her accountant. You know he and my dad were good friends, right?” She nodded her head quickly. “Well, last night when my mom came home, David came home with her.” That effectively dropped Drew’s jaw.
“Tell me everything,” she said scandalously.
I started with his height and went from there. She thought the same thing I did. Mom had a very good reason for wanting to look good. Truthfully, we expected him to be shorter, thinner and a bit of a nerd. The type with a cheap suit and tape on his glasses had come to mind several times over the years.
“I heard everything they said, but it never got me anywhere,” I told her. “He mentioned a name I’ve never heard and something about a dog helping at his house, but I never heard specifics about what’s really going on. Then when they went to bed…” I trailed off when I saw the shocked look on Drew’s face.
Drew lost the ability to speak for a few moments. That was unprecedented. She always has a quick, witty comment on the tip of her tongue. Now she just sat there open mouthed, staring at me. “Yes Drew, it actually happened,” I said, sensing her question. “He didn’t leave until about an hour before the sun came up.”
“It’s about time,” she smiled.
“I’m not so sure. She cried harder after he left than she ever has before.”
“She probably feels like she’s cheating on your dad. You know she’s never really let him go. Mia says he’s dead, but I think she’s still hoping he’ll somehow come back.”
After that depressing thought, we finished off our drinks and paid the check. Drew had to go to the bathroom, so I waited for our change to come back. I glanced out the window, noticing the sun was finally sinking into the horizon. When our waiter came back he handed me a receipt stamped seven fifty-five. A few more hours to go.
Before Drew made it back someone else took her seat. I wasn’t at all surprised to see my new shadow sitting in the booth across from me. The redhead was grinning from ear to ear. I wasn’t quite that happy to see her again.
“We have got to stop meeting like this, sugar.” Her tone sounded a little too forced this time.
“When you decide to quit following me, we will.” I made my tone match hers. I even put a fake smile on my face.
“What in the world gives you that idea?” she asked innocently.
I rolled my eyes and took a deep breath. “Until last night, I’ve never seen you before,” I said calmly, the smile still plastered on my face. “Now I’ve seen you twice in one day. I don’t think it’s a coincidence.”
Her smile went from angelic to devilish in a flash. A cold shiver ran down my spine. Suddenly, she looked like she could be just as dangerous as JD. The difference was she knew how to control it. Even though I knew I hit a nerve, she never wavered. This time I tried, but there was no smell. She kept herself well guarded.
“You have no idea do you, precious? All you have to do is tell us where to find the girl. Tell us that and we’ll be happy to leave you alone.”
When Drew reappeared, I grabbed her hand and bolted out of the booth. “I can’t tell you what I don’t know,” I said. “Leave me alone!” My nerves were shot.
The weird scene caught Drew off guard. All she could do was stand there and stare. I pushed her through the crowded restaurant and out the door. The further away we could get the better. Thankfully, Drew didn’t say anything until we went outside. “What the hell, Leah?” she demanded.
“I’m so sorry, Drew, but I don’t want to be anywhere near that girl.”
Drew pulled me over to the side of the building and pulled a pack of cigarettes out of her purse. She lit one, took a couple of drags, and looked at me. “Wasn’t that the chick that was with JD last night?” I nodded my head. “Well, what does she want now? You already gave them an answer.”
“She wants a name and an address. Until I give them that, they’ll keep turning up,” I explained. “She said as much.”
“Heads up, she’s back,” Drew warned me.
She didn’t even give me time to turn around. I felt her hot hand on my shoulder as she spun my body around to face her. I’d been right about her temper. She manhandled me like a rag-doll “I wasn’t finished,” she said hotly. Now she had a bright red haze vibrating around her.
“Obviously, she was done with you, sweetie,” Drew snorted. “‘Leave me alone’ usually ends a conversation pretty effectively.” “Unless you’re the Phillips girl, I wasn’t talking to you,” she growled at Drew. She gave Drew a once over. A nasty smile appeared on her bony face. The angry haze vanished. “You certainly could belong to Mia. You look a lot like her. The blue eyes, close to the same hair color. Only you’re too tall,” she looked disappointed, but only for a second. “But I guess that could be your daddy’s fault.”
It was a good thing Drew spoke first, because I nearly asked the woman how she knew anything about my dad. There was no way she could have known him. She was our age.
“Well, my dad is tall. And unless my parents have some heavy explaining to do, Mia is not my mother,” Drew said calmly. She blew a little smoke in her direction for good measure.
“What’s your last name?” she asked quickly. Her confident attitude was beginning to deflate a little.
“Roberts,” Drew answered. “I’ll save you a little time and trouble. My dad’s name is Carl and my mom’s name is Linda. About a year after t
hey got married I was born- a Roberts. He’s in the phone book under ‘R’ if you’d like to verify the info. That’d be in the white pages, hon.”
I couldn’t help myself and immediately fell into a giggle fit. It was totally inappropriate given our situation, but it felt great. Unfortunately, the redhead didn’t feel the same way.
“What’s your name?” she asked, turning towards me angrily. “Your full name.”
Doing my best to look annoyed, I searched the area around me for a new last name. It had to at least be believable. Glass or Green would be a little too obvious. A big boulder by the front door offered me the perfect name.
“My name is Leah Stone,” I said as confidently as I could.
Almost on cue Drew was hit with a horrible coughing fit. I tried to help her out by slapping her on the back - hard. It took quite a while for her violent attack to subside. When it did, tears were rolling down her checks.
“Are you okay, Drew? You know you really should stop smoking,” I said sweetly. “It’s liable to be the death of you.” I turned to face the lady; “Now, you have our names, what’s yours?”
“Deana,” she said flatly. My answer had left her with nowhere else to go. I tried, but I still couldn’t smell her. Maybe there was nothing to smell.
Her eyes shifted off us and focused intently on the parking lot. They darted around quickly in every direction. We watched in confusion as she took two steps back and turned her head slightly, exposing the left side of her neck. Her eyes fixed steadily on the ground on front of her.
A few seconds later JD stormed out of the parking lot toward us. We’d been so focused on what Deana had been doing I hadn’t paid attention to anything else going on around us. As he pushed past us, I felt an extraordinary amount of heat coming off his body. His heart was pumping even faster than it had been the first time we met.
“Damn you, Deana! Small talk isn’t part of the job,” he roared at her. “I already know who and where the little bitch is.”
